Curtain pole and fixture.



No. 684,674. Patented Oqt. I5, 190i.

W. N. CLARK.

CURTAIN POLE AND FIXTURE.

'Applicution filed Oct. 26. 1900. I

(No Model.)

ATT EST INVENTDFi- W WM By yw flTTY NiTED STATES rricn.

PATENT \VALTER N. CLARK, OF \VARREN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-IIALF TO ROBERT C. KINGSLEY, OF SAME PLACE.

CURTAIN POLE AND FIXTURE.

SPEEXFTGATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 684,674, dated October 15, 1901.

Application filed October 28, 1900. Serial No. 34,441. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVALTER N. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, residing at WVarren, in the county of Trumbull and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Curtain Poles and Fixtures; and I do declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,

which will enable others skilled in the art to to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to curtain poles and fixtures; and the objects of the invention are, first, to provide a curtain-pole which in itself is sufficient forsuspending and draping a curtain without the use of rings, pins,hooks, and other kindred devices for engaging a cur tain on a pole for draping it, and, secondly, to hold the pole to prevent rotation in its sockets.

My invention therefore consists in a longitudinally-divided pole and associated mechanism, all substantially as shown and described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front perspective elevation of a window having my improved curtain fixtures in use thereon. Fig. 2 is a perspective elevation of a sectional pole constructed according to this 0 invention with only one of its hinge caps or ferrules in position thereon, while the other is shown alone in Fig. 3. Fig. 4is a perspective view of the rod which goes inside the pole. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the 5 spring hinge-cap shown in Fig. 3, but sprung open in this instance. Fig. 6 is a cross-section, enlarged, of the curtaimpole and its rod and shows also a portion of curtain engaged about the rod, as hereinafter fully described.

Fig. '7 is a perspective View of one of the brackets; and Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a supplemental spring-clamp shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

As already indicated, this invention dis- 5 penses entirely with pins, rings, hooks, and all and every kind of outside devices heretofore used for hanging and draping curtains and furnishes a pole A, which in itself supplies all needs in this respect. The said pole resembles any ordinary solid cylindrical pole externally; but it is formed in this instance of two equal longitudinal sections grooved on their inside their full length, so as to produce a tubular construction when the sections are united. This not only affords a hollow interior for rod B, but it enables me to use much cheaper material for making the pole than is required to produce a solid pole of the same size, thus working material economy in the manufacture.

Of course the pole A is furnished to the trade at certain regulation lengths correspouding to the common widths of windows in use; but it can be cut on the spot to suit any window of less width and thus be readily adapted to all places. The said pole is not, however, complete as an article of manufacture without the end spring ferrules or caps C. These are stamped up outof spring brass, steel, or other suitable metal, preferably in the shape here shown, with rightangled flanges 2, which practically close the ends of the pole. Thus said ferrules are made to serve the joint purposes of hinges and confining members for the pole endwise and also as clamping members, because they are of spring-stock, with a constant tendency to close, as in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 shows a cap or ferrule 0 sprung open, as occurs when the polesections are opened in adjusting a curtain.

The rod 13 may be of wood or metal and helps to hold the curtain in the pole, especially as the curtain is being put up and draped. To engage the curtain in the pole, the end of the curtain is thrown around the rod, as shown, and the rod is then placed in the pole by springing the pole open for this purpose. Once in, the pole itself by reason of its clamping-hinges helps to take care of the curtain, and the further details of adjusting for length, draping, and the like proceed in this order.

D represents the brackets. These may be of wood or metal and of any fanciful shape or style. In the present views the outside ornamentation 4, which usually is secured to the ends of the pole, is secured'to a plate 5 on the outer side of the bracket. Said ornamentation may be attached to the pole or wholly omitted without departing from the IOO spirit of my invention. In the pole-socket of each bracket I employ a tension-spring 7,

which is adapted to bear against the pole and prevent its accidental or easy rotation. This, however, allows me to turn the pole by hand in fixing the elevation of the curtain from the floor or for any other purposes; but the weight of the curtain will not turn the pole when thus held. Said spring therefore acts as a f riction-lock for the pole. By this means also the pole can be made to display the drapery in any preferred way-that is, the pole can be turned to drape from the top, so as to show none of the pole, or from the bottom to show all the pole or more or less thereof, according to taste.

If necessary, I may supplement the spring hinge-clamps O with additional spring-clamps E, a form of which is shown in full in Fig. 8 and in dotted lines, Fig. 2. These clamps may be of metal or even of rubber for temporary use over the end of the pole and they are not designed to be put on until the draping has been finished. Then one or more of these additional clamps may be used, especially if the curtains be heavy or the poles long. In the latter case they can be placed centrally of the pole-with advantage, as here shown. In all cases the curtain is held by the pole itself, and the rod B serves as a medium for getting the curtain aright into the pole; but this is practically all. There is no clamping upon or about the rod, but only upon the curtain in the bite between the open parts of the pole. The grip of the pole is here, and here the curtain and drapery are held.

The spring-ferrule C is preferably secured by tacks or brads at the ends through its flanges, and the one on the end that is to be cut to fit the window is not usually fastened until the fitting has taken place. It is also shown here as having a substantially V- shaped cut Sin the end flanges 2 at the middle opposite its open edge 9. This forms a sufficiently enlarged spring area for the ferrule to open and close without excessive strain at one point, as would occur if this widening of the spring portion were not provided. It will also be noticed that While pole A is tubular and may have a plain cylindrical bore it is preferably made oblong or substantially pear-shaped in cross-section, so as to give somewhat sharply-defined biting edges 10' to the pole where it grips the curtain. Then as the folds of the curtain are spread within the bite they spread and form a lock and are noteasily withdrawn.

lVhat I claim isp 1. As a new article of manufacture, a iongitudinally-sectioned curtain-pole hollow inside, and spring-hinges formed each in a sin gle piece into substantially cap shape and secured permanently to the ends of said sections, said hinges constructed to throw the sections together at their front edges and thus sustain a clamping effect, substantially as described.

23. A curtain-pole formed of two equal sections grooved lengthwise internally, and spring hinge-ferrules engaged over the ends of the pole and constituting the hinges and the springs for uniting said sections at one edge and clamping them together at the other, substantially as described.

3. The longitudinally-sectioned pole and spring hinge-ferrules fastened on the ends of the pole-sections and holding them together and having flanges at right angles over the ends of said sections, said flanges cut away to form a spring portion on each side of the hinge-line, substantially as described.

\Vitness my hand to the foregoing specification this 9th day of October, 1900.

VVALTER N. CLARK.

\Vitnesses:

II. T. FISHER, R. 13. Moses. 

